Yao Ming vs. P.J. Tucker Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of P.J. Tucker and Yao Ming, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Yao Ming played 8 years in the NBA, 6 less than P.J. Tucker, who played 14. Yao Ming had the first of his seasons in 2002-03, while P.J. Tucker had his rookie season in 2006-07. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achievements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Yao Ming 8 4 2002-03 to 2010-11
P.J. Tucker 14 9 2006-07 to 2024-25

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Yao Ming P.J. Tucker
Season 2002-032006-07
Team Houston RocketsToronto Raptors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Rookie First Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 82 29.0 13.5 2.4 5.8 8.2 1.7 0.4 1.8 2.1 2.8 4.9 9.8 .498 0.0 0.0 - 3.7 4.5 .811
difference:+65+24.1+11.7+1.8+5.1+6.8+1.5+0.3+1.8-1.7-2.1+4.3+8.5+.002+3.2+3.7+.240
P.J. Tucker 17 4.9 1.8 0.6 0.7 1.4 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.7 0.6 1.3 .500 0.0 0.0 - 0.5 0.8 .571
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Yao Ming nor P.J. Tucker played in the postseason in their season 1

Note: P.J. Tucker didn't play in 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Season 2

Yao Ming P.J. Tucker
Season 2003-042012-13
Team Houston RocketsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 82 32.8 17.5 2.4 6.6 9.0 1.5 0.3 1.9 2.5 3.3 6.5 12.5 .522 0.0 0.0 - 4.4 5.4 .809
difference:+3+8.6+11.1+0.7+3.8+4.6+0.1+0.5+1.7-1.7-1.5+3.8+6.9+.049+0.3+0.9+3.6+4.3+.065
P.J. Tucker 79 24.2 6.4 1.7 2.8 4.4 1.4 0.8 0.2 0.8 1.8 2.7 5.6 .473 0.3 0.9 .314 0.8 1.1 .744
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 5 37.6 15.0 2.2 5.2 7.4 1.8 0.4 1.4 2.6 4.0 6.2 13.6 .456 0.0 0.0 - 2.6 3.4 .765
P.J. Tucker DNP------ --- ----------

Season 3

Yao Ming P.J. Tucker
Season 2004-052013-14
Team Houston RocketsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 80 30.6 18.3 2.6 5.8 8.4 0.8 0.4 2.0 2.5 3.7 6.7 12.2 .552 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 6.2 .783
difference:+1+0.1+8.9+0.6+1.3+1.9+0.9+1.0+1.7-1.2-1.2+3.4+4.6+.121+0.9+2.4+3.0+3.7+.007
P.J. Tucker 81 30.7 9.4 2.0 4.5 6.5 1.7 1.4 0.3 1.3 2.5 3.3 7.6 .431 0.9 2.4 .387 1.9 2.5 .776
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 7 31.9 21.4 3.3 4.4 7.7 0.7 0.3 2.7 2.7 4.4 7.9 12.0 .655 0.0 0.0 - 5.7 7.9 .727
P.J. Tucker DNP------ --- ----------

Season 4

Yao Ming P.J. Tucker
Season 2005-062014-15
Team Houston RocketsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayDid Not Play
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 57 34.2 22.3 2.6 7.6 10.2 1.5 0.5 1.6 2.6 3.4 8.2 15.8 .519 0.0 0.0 - 5.9 6.9 .853
difference:+21+3.6+13.2+1.1+2.6+3.8+0.1+0.9+1.3-1.4-1.1+4.9+8.2+.081+1.1+3.2+4.6+5.1+.126
P.J. Tucker 78 30.6 9.1 1.5 5.0 6.4 1.6 1.4 0.3 1.2 2.3 3.3 7.6 .438 1.1 3.2 .345 1.3 1.8 .727
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Yao Ming nor P.J. Tucker played in the postseason in their season 4

Season 5

Yao Ming P.J. Tucker
Season 2006-072015-16
Team Houston RocketsPhoenix Suns
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf 1st RdDid Not Play
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 48 33.8 25.0 2.1 7.3 9.4 2.0 0.4 2.0 3.5 3.3 8.8 17.1 .516 0.0 0.0 - 7.4 8.6 .862
difference:+34+2.8+17.0+0.1+3.1+3.2+0.2+0.9+1.8-2.1-0.8+5.9+10.0+.105+0.8+2.5+6.1+6.9+.116
P.J. Tucker 82 31.0 8.0 2.0 4.2 6.2 2.2 1.3 0.2 1.4 2.5 2.9 7.1 .411 0.8 2.5 .330 1.3 1.7 .746
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 7 37.1 25.1 3.3 7.0 10.3 0.9 0.1 0.7 4.7 3.9 7.9 17.9 .440 0.0 0.0 - 9.4 10.7 .880
P.J. Tucker DNP------ --- ----------

Season 6

Yao Ming P.J. Tucker
Season 2007-082016-17
Team Houston RocketsPhoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Third Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayRaptors Lost East Conf Semis
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 55 37.2 22.0 3.1 7.7 10.8 2.3 0.5 2.0 3.3 3.1 7.9 15.5 .507 0.0 0.0 - 6.3 7.4 .850
difference:+26+9.6+15.3+1.7+3.3+5.0+1.1+0.9+1.8-2.5-0.7+5.4+9.5+.094+0.9+2.4+5.4+6.3+.076
P.J. Tucker 81 27.6 6.7 1.4 4.4 5.8 1.2 1.4 0.2 0.8 2.4 2.5 6.0 .413 0.9 2.4 .357 0.9 1.1 .774
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------
P.J. Tucker 10 25.1 5.0 1.5 4.2 5.7 1.1 0.6 0.3 0.8 2.7 1.8 4.9 .367 0.9 2.8 .321 0.5 0.8 .625

Season 7

Yao Ming P.J. Tucker
Season 2008-092017-18
Team Houston RocketsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-NBA Second Team-
Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Rockets Lost West Conf SemisRockets Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 77 33.6 19.7 2.6 7.2 9.9 1.8 0.4 1.9 3.0 3.3 7.4 13.4 .548 0.0 0.0 - 4.9 5.7 .866
difference:+5+5.8+13.6+1.5+2.8+4.3+0.9+0.6+1.6-2.1-0.8+5.3+8.0+.158+1.4+3.8+4.4+5.0+.149
P.J. Tucker 82 27.8 6.1 1.1 4.4 5.6 0.9 1.0 0.3 0.9 2.5 2.1 5.4 .390 1.4 3.8 .371 0.5 0.7 .717
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 9 35.9 17.1 2.1 8.8 10.9 1.0 0.4 1.2 1.9 3.0 6.0 11.0 .545 0.0 0.0 - 5.1 5.7 .902
difference:+8+2.4+8.2+0.7+3.6+4.4+0.3+0.2+0.4-1.1-0.3+2.9+4.6+.064+2.1+4.4+4.4+4.6+.235
P.J. Tucker 17 33.5 8.9 1.4 5.2 6.5 1.3 0.6 0.8 0.8 2.7 3.1 6.4 .481 2.1 4.4 .467 0.7 1.1 .667

Note: Yao Ming didn't play in 2009-10.

Season 8

Yao Ming P.J. Tucker
Season 2010-112018-19
Team Houston RocketsHouston Rockets
Honors & Awards Achievement All-Star Game-
Playoffs Did Not PlayRockets Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming 5 18.2 10.2 1.4 4.0 5.4 0.8 0.0 1.6 1.4 2.6 3.6 7.4 .486 0.0 0.0 - 3.0 3.2 .938
difference:+77+16.0+2.9+0.1+0.4+0.4+0.4+1.6+1.1-0.6-0.5+1.1+1.0+.090+1.8+4.7+2.5+2.5+.243
P.J. Tucker 82 34.2 7.3 1.5 4.4 5.8 1.2 1.6 0.5 0.8 3.1 2.5 6.4 .396 1.8 4.7 .377 0.5 0.7 .695
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Yao Ming DNP------ --- ----------
P.J. Tucker 11 38.7 11.4 1.7 5.7 7.5 1.7 1.7 0.7 0.7 3.2 3.6 8.0 .455 2.4 5.2 .456 1.7 2.1 .826

Additional Years

* P.J. Tucker played 6 seasons more than Yao Ming in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 14, from 2020 to 2025—P.J. Tucker played in 6 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.